Skip to main content
ARS Home » Southeast Area » Stoneville, Mississippi » Warmwater Aquaculture Research Unit » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #406229
Research Project: Improving the Productivity and Quality of Catfish Aquaculture

Location: Warmwater Aquaculture Research Unit

Title: NAJA Feature: Rotenone has little effect on water quality, phytoplankton, zooplankton or macroinvertebrates in aquaculture nursery ponds

Author
item MISCHKE, CHARLES - Mississippi State University
item Richardson, Brad
item WISE, DAVID - Mississippi State University
item TIWARI, AMBIKA - Mississippi State University

Submitted to: American Fisheries Society Newsletter
Publication Type: Popular Publication
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/24/2023
Publication Date: 4/11/2023
Citation: Mischke, C.C., Richardson, B.M., Wise, D.J., Tiwari, A. 2023. NAJA Feature: Rotenone has little effect on water quality, phytoplankton, zooplankton or macroinvertebrates in aquaculture nursery ponds. American Fisheries Society Newsletter. 2023(1): 18-19.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Rotenone application has been reported to cause significant declines in zooplankton populations with cladocerans and copepods being the most susceptible and possibly taking months to recover. Because copepods and cladocerans are preferred by catfish fry, rotenone application could have significant effects on nursery pond production. Effects of rotenone on zooplankton and time required for recovery has not been studied in eutrophic aquaculture ponds that are typically drained and refilled yearly. We quantified the effects of rotenone application to either mostly drained ponds or full ponds on water quality, phytoplankton, zooplankton, and aquatic macroinvertebrates in experimental ponds. For the drained pond study, 9 ponds were drained to about 15 cm water. Six ponds were treated with 4 µL/L rotenone; three of the treated ponds were then treated with 4 mg/L potassium permanganate (KMnO4). The three additional ponds were drained but untreated. All ponds were then filled and fertilized. In the full pond study, 9 full ponds were treated with 4 µL/L rotenone. Three of those ponds were then treated the next day with 4 mg/L KMnO4. Three ponds were left as untreated controls. For established catfish aquaculture ponds in the southeastern United States, applying rotenone to ponds with 15 cm or less water has no effect on water quality, phytoplankton, or zooplankton. Neutralization with KMnO4 did not affect any measured variables. Fry could be stocked 11-14 d after treatment if the pond is fertilized. If a whole pond is treated with rotenone, no effects on catfish fry production should occur. Ponds could be stocked about 7 d after treatment if neutralized with KMnO4 and about 11 d after treatment without neutralization. However, rotenone treatment did not reduce predatory macroinvertebrate risk, and this should be addressed using additional management strategies.